PANAMERA GTS

You would-n't expect a Porsche to be much of a drama queen, but the class kind of calls for it. With divas like the Aston Martin Rapide and Jaguar XJ to compete with, the Panamera would be lost without a flair for the dramatic.

Well, that's not exactly true; it would be more like the Mercedes SClass.

So, the Panamera has combined the businesslike, gofast demeanor of the 9-11 with the flash and sizzle of a Bentley, and come up with a pretty delicious package.

The drama's probably inherent in the car itself. Since the days of the classic 3-56 and 9-11, the Porsche faithful have been resistant to frontengined cars wearing the badge from Zuffenhausen. Even after the success of the 9-28, a Porsche with an engine up front tends to elicit howls of protest from the true believers. When the Panamera was announced, the backlash was comparable to that which greeted the Cayenne SUV in 2-002.

Though the Panamera has gotten ripped in the press for its looks, most onlookers liked the GTS. Maybe it was the fireenginered paint, black GTS trim and black wheel combination sported by my tester.

The Panamera breaks new ground for Porsche, being a true fourdoor sedan with a large hatchback. At a glance, it looks like a stretched 9-11, thanks to the family face. The body's curves are also similar to the 9-11' s, as is the rounded and dramatically sloped tail.

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A retractable spoiler rises at about 4-5 mph to help stabilize the car at speed.

The passing resemblance and the Porsche badge are the Panamera's biggest links to the 9-11, however. As you've no doubt realized, the engine is up front; the only thing under the rear cargo cover is luggage space. The Panamera is powered by 4.8liter V-8 with double overhead cams, variable valve and cam timing, and direct fuel injection. The Panamera GTS gets a sevenspeed PDK dualclutch automatic transmission, and allwheel drive is standard.

Around town, there's a stopstart function that shuts the engine off at traffic lights to save fuel, and the transmission starts off in second gear for smoother travel. This may give you the impression that the Panamera's 4-30 horses are actually pretty tame. They're not. It's docile until you ask it to roar.

Any misgivings about this car 's worthiness of the Porsche badge are quickly dispelled by a single highspeed run with the Launch Control. Automatically balancing engine and transmission to maximize standingstart acceleration, Launch Control enables nearperfect 0-6-0 sprints every time. Shattering acceleration is accompanied by wishquick shifts, and legal speed limits are on the table for less than five seconds. You wanted drama? Here it is.

Did I mention that the Panamera weighs more than two tons? That little detail tends to fade into the background once this grand tourer is rolling. It's just as agile as a much smaller vehicle. To be sure, the Panamera is essentially bored at freeway speeds, but the ride is extremely comfortable, not what you'd expect from a serious sports car.

Oh, sure, any muscle car can do that. But the Panamera hangs on, and on, and on.

Get it on a track, and you'll find that this car is still accelerating hard at 1-30 mph. The Panamera GTS will run all the way up to 1-78 mph, according to Porsche.

On the road, the trackcapable Panamera feels like a ninja wandering through a firstgrade karate class. High speed travel is stable and secure, thanks to a fully independent suspension. Racebred double wishbones are used up front, and the rear is a multilink. The Panamera has a stiff ride, but it's surprisingly tolerable around town, lacking much of the harshness that tends to go hand in hand with a racetrackcapable suspension thanks to its adaptive air suspension.

The GTS's suspension is slightly lower and wider than that of the standard Panamera, for improved stability. Porsche's active stabilitycontrol system is standard, as are phenomenal brakes. Massive 15inch discs in the front are clamped by big, red, fourpiston calipers bringing the big car to a stop with the necessary violence.

The best part about the Panamera is that you can share its awesome Porscheness with more than one friend at a time. This grand tourer seats four in extremely supportive, individual bucket seats, and the luxury factor is ramped up accordingly.

The Panamera makes its " special car" status clear with a fivegauge Porsche instrument panel, fauxsuedeintensive interior and two parallel rows of buttons down the console that take some getting used to but are easy enough to use once you learn where everything is.

The Panamera GTS is equipped with parking radar and an off button for the stopstart feature for quicker offthe line starts. Automatic climate control, four heated seats and a navigation system are also standard. There's even a usable trunk under the big hatchback, with almost 4-5 cubic feet of cargo space when the seats are folded.

It's big, it's dramatic, and it's very much a Porsche. The Panamera earns its place in the family with amazing performance, and definitely has a place in the market. Think the grand touring sedan club didn't need a Porsche in it?

The Panamera begs to differ.

Panamera pricing starts at $ 7-5,850 for the V6 equipped base model. V-8 power takes the bottom line up to $ 9-1,350, and the hard edged GTS comes in at a cool $ 1-11,000.

But hey, this is a Porsche, so sixfigure price tags are par for the course. The Panamera GTS provides sufficient visceral and visual excitement to justify the MSRP.

Chris Jackson is a freelance automotive writer who lives in Ann Arbor, Mich.

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